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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Christmas Gifts for the Garden Lover!!!

Who doesn't like Salsa? There are so many variations of Salsa, mild to hot, mango to jalapeno and even green tomato salsa. Creating a Salsa Garden is easy! Mary's Heirloom Seeds has made things even easier with Mary's Salsa Pack Seed Combo!

My first suggestion, Coconut Pellets! They make seed-starting "oh so easy." Before you just go crazy and start planting all of the seeds it's important to decide which varieties you would like to include and how long each will take to mature.

Onions:Not everyone likes onions in their salsa. I do! I prefer a red onion. The Red Burgundy onion matures in approximately 100 days. If you decide to grow this onion it should be planted first. If you choose a bunching onion or a "green onion" you can wait on planting. Bunching onion varieties take about 40 days to mature.

Tomatoes:I prefer to use a smaller tomato for salsa like the Ace 55 or Roma. Both varieties take approx 75-80 days to mature so they should be started one month after the onion (if you chose the red). A larger option is a Beefsteak. For fancy salsa, try Emerald Green or Amana's Orange tomatoes.

Peppers:For a mild salsa you can use Anaheim instead. For a hot (or hotter) salsa I use Jalapenos. For the crazy, burn your mouth for a week salsa, use Serrano Peppers or Habanero! These pepper varieties also take 70-80 days to mature and should be planted at the same time as the tomatoes.

Cilantro planting should be staggered throughout the year. By planting multiple cilantro plants it will allow you to harvest as you need it instead of all at once. Plant Cilantro at least 30 days before the rest of the Salsa Garden plants mature. I recommend succession planting Cilantro for a plentiful harvest.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion,
cilantro, garlic, lime juice, tomatillo, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2
of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a
kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's
heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill
until ready to serve.

Mary's Salsa Pack is available @ Mary's Heirloom Seeds for only $18.(Gift Wrap included if you ask)

A great addition to Mary's Salsa Pack is the natural and Organic Soil Amendments.I use Supreme Growers on my own veggies and I love it! The difference in plant growth, flowering and crops has been fantastic.

About Me

You may have noticed that the price on food, especially produce has been going up.The quality, not to mention the nutritional value, has been suffering for quite a while.
Heirloom seeds or seeds that have been passed down for generations are
far hardier and as some studies suggest, have more nutritional value
than genetically modified (GMO) seeds.I don't sell
anything that I wouldn't grow in my own garden. All of the seeds
listed are un-treated, non-hybrid, open-pollinated, non-gmo, heirloom
seeds. Plants are grown using no chemicals.

Anyway, I
have been growing my own vegetables and besides the money they save me
the flavor is WAY better than the vegetables available at the
supermarket.It also makes me feel less dependent on the supply and I know what goes on my veggies.I
put together a few packages of seeds that seem to belong together and
the individual seeds are available also. Food prices are not going down
and growing your own food, especially heirloom veggies, is a great way
to save money and get more nutrition for your dollar. Happy planting,Mary